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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. race — a contest
  3. cue — a hint
  4. race — humankind
  5. charge — a price
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. last — final
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. press — newspapers
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bass — low music
  13. vault — a safe
  14. last — to go on
  15. press — a publisher
  16. charge — in control
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. last — finally
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. perch — the fish
  22. race — the arms race
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com